DENVER — The Denver Housing Authority confirmed on Monday that the city finalized the purchase of the Best Western Central Park hotel on Quebec Street, which it intends to convert into permanent supportive housing.
The purchase of the 194-unit hotel is in support of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's emergency declaration to end encampments and help 1,000 unhoused Denver residents. Johnston said last week that there are possible sites in all of Denver's 11 districts that "represent the geographic diversity, they represent socioeconomic diversity in where they're located."
Denver's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) announced the acquisition of the hotel, at 4590 Quebec St., in July. The renovated property was expected to be bought for almost $26 million – using about $11 million from the DHA Delivers for Denver bond funds and a bridge loan of $16 million, HOST said.
The start of a lease to the city — which DHA will do through HOST for a "nominal annual rate and basic maintenance costs" — is expected to start Sept. 1. Until the building can be converted into supportive housing, HOST said it will contact a partner to offer non-congregate shelter along with supportive services.
Of the hotel's 194 units, 40% of them will be reserved for tenants who earn 30% of the area median income and one unit will be for staff — more than half of the units already have kitchenettes, which is "ideal for supportive housing," HOST said.
“Unsheltered homelessness is an emergency situation in Denver, and we are laser-focused on bringing 1,000 people safely inside while permanently decommissioning encampments by the end of 2023,” Johnston said in July. “This acquisition is the first key piece of that puzzle and puts us on a solid path to achieving our goal, connecting our unhoused neighbors to housing and low-barrier shelter, and improving quality of life in neighborhoods across our city.”
This story includes previous reporting by Antonia Velez.
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